Recommended Books?

I am looking to start reading some really interesting, well written, and legitimate books on the topic of Secret Societies.

The 'well written and interesting' are important simply in terms of enjoyability in the presentation of the information.

The 'legitimate' aspect deals with the presentation of the information and the quality of the information.

So based these simple criteria what books on the topic would you recommend one read to expand their knowledge of the topic at hand?

Thanks

[edit on 6-12-2009 by Animal]

Attached are some books that fellow Above Top Secret poster Senrak recommended to me and I enjoyed all of them:

Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of Freemasonry by Mackey
Is It True What They Say About Freemasonry? by de Hoyos and Morris
Scottish Rite Ritual and Monitor by de Hoyos
The Meaning of Masonry by Wilmhurst
The Lodge and the Craft by Blackmer
Masonry Defined by Johnston
Albert Pike, The Man Beyond the Monument by Tresner
A Life of Albert Pike by Brown
Pillars of Wisdom by Hutchens
Blue Lodge Symbolism: Pikes Esoterika by de Hoyos
Pikes Lecture & Second Lecture on Symbolism by de Hoyos (this is a continuation of Morals & Dogma that wasn't printed until recently)




[edit on 6-12-2009 by AugustusMasonicus]

Freemasonry and Knight's Templar:
"Born in Blood" by John J. Robinson
"The Hiram Key" by Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas
"The Royal Secret" by I. Edward Clark
"King Solomon's First Temple" by E. Cromwell Mensch

Rosicrucians:
"The Most Holy Trinosophia" by St. Germain
"The Rosicrucians" by Christopher McIntosh

Golden Dawn:
"The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic" by Israel Regardie
"The Ritual Magic Manual" by David Griffin

Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO):
"Magick: Book 4, Liber Aba" by Aleister Crowley, et al
"The Book of Abramelin: A New Translation" by Abraham Von Worms

Nazi Occultism (Thule Society):
"Magic: History, Theory, Practice" by Ernst Schertel and Adolf Hitler

Other Various Magickal / Occult Orders:
"The Goetia of Dr. Rudd" by David Rankine
"The Agrippa" by Henry Cornelius Agrippa, et al

[edit on 12/6/2009 by Choronzon]

Augustus and Choronzon have given you and everyone else here an extraordinary list.
I would also like to add that the ATS site has some of it's own awesome threads/posts with regards to this topic. Many of which contain ideas you will not find in books which is why I've mentioned it.
peace out

I'm surprised there weren't any other ATS'ers with recommendations for books....Seeing as how many people 'know the truth'....

Originally posted by Choronzon
I'm surprised there weren't any other ATS'ers with recommendations for books....Seeing as how many people 'know the truth'....

But those who "know the truth" generally don't read books. They just link to YouTube videos.

reply to post by Masonic Light


Aah, yes...
It reminds me of a quote that I once read:

"Believe those who seek the truth. Doubt those who find it."
~ Andre Gide

[edit on 8/12/2009 by Saurus]

Here are a couple in my library.
1) A Bridge to Light, Rex Hutchins
2) The Craft and its Symbols, Allen Roberts
3) The Templars and the Grail, Karen Ralls
4) A Comprehensive View of Freemasonry, Henry Coil, 33'
5) Meditations on Masonic Symbolism, John Hiesner, 32'

Most really excellent books and articles on Freemasonry are available through many sources including research lodges, and often they will sell their inventory to non-masons.

[edit on 13-12-2009 by sharkman]

I have to say, through I do find masonry to be a interesting topic and I have read at least one of the books on masons listed, I find it strange that when I come to a 'Secret Society' forum and ask for a list of good books on the topic 95% are focused on the masons. It is strange because it is the tendency of the masons here to argument hat Freemasonry is NOT a secret society.

Are there other books you all know of that are not focused on Masons?

reply to post by Animal



Hola Mano, "Fleshing Out Skull & Bones" Investigations into Americas Most Powerful Secret Society.

And all things by Robert Anton Wilson

I'm new in the area, i wanna know why David Icke was not mentioned. As a newbie, i've seen his name too much.

reply to post by whaaa


I read the first RAW Illuminatus book and really was kind of board. Perhaps it is time to try again.

I will check out the Skull and Bones book, thanks for the tip.

Hope all is well in Corrales.

Originally posted by tvkiller
I'm new in the area, i wanna know why David Icke was not mentioned. As a newbie, i've seen his name too much.

I think that David Icke is actually not thought of as a reliable source, at least not in this section of ATS, perhaps Skunk Works would discuss him more.

You see, his claims are simply too much, or this is what my assessment of his lack in the SS forum is based on.

I mean think about it, Bill Clinton and George Bush hunting bikini clad women in the desert of Nevada from the back of a pickup truck? Really?

Originally posted by Animal
I have to say, through I do find masonry to be a interesting topic and I have read at least one of the books on masons listed, I find it strange that when I come to a 'Secret Society' forum and ask for a list of good books on the topic 95% are focused on the masons. It is strange because it is the tendency of the masons here to argument hat Freemasonry is NOT a secret society.

Are there other books you all know of that are not focused on Masons?

Choronzon gave you quite a few good ones where the subject matter is not regarding Masons. I can add Terry Melanson's Perfectibilists and outstandingly researched book on the Illuminati.






[edit on 13-12-2009 by AugustusMasonicus]

reply to post by Animal


The Origins of Freemasonry: Scotland's Century, 1590-1710 By David Stevenson

Scholarly text on the origins of freemasonry in Scotland and England. Very good.


Secret Societies and Subversive Movements - Nesta H. Webster

The above book by Webster is a very good overview of the conspiratorial view of the role of secret societies through history. She was inherently pro-Anglo freemasonry, and anti-Continental, or Grand Orient freemasonry; she certainly did her research in the British Library sifting through hundreds upon hundreds of primary and secondary source documents to build her case. Which is something to keep in mind, as she was quite fascistic in her leanings and subscribed to the idea of the "Jewish Global Conspiracy." She was quite rabidly anti-Jew. But if you can filter all that out she produces a very good outline of all the main societies with secrets throughout history.


Perfectibilists - The 18th Century Bavarian Order of the Illuminati by Terry Melanson

Top notch reference work that was sorely needed on the Order of the Bavarian Illuminati. Essential on that subject.
It will dovetail with the following work superbly:

Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith - James H. Billington

The above work treats the fact that revolutionary movements were so often fomented by clandestine, secretive groups, and you will see at times how masonry was involved on the continent. In both Billington's work and Melanson's on the Bavarian Illuminati. The key word also is Jacobins.


The Secret History of Freemasonry - Its Origins & Connections to the Knights Templar by Paul Naudon

Very good treatment of a more down-to-earth, plausible connection of the Templars to modern masonry, and a transmision of traditions through the Roman Collegia, the Ismailis/Hashashin, the Knights Templar, the Culdees, and finally the more modern insitution of freemasonry. No Holy Grail malarkey.


The Templars' Legacy in Montreal: The New Jerusalem by Francine Bernier

Very interesting scholarly speculations on the Templars, meticulously researched.


Qadosh: The Johannite Tradition by Jonathan Sellers

Very much off the beaten track text that covers just about every known secret society and movement in history, vis-a-vis some of the more populist accounts. The guy seems to have read just about every esoteric, historical, and populist book on societies wihth secrets available! You may not agree with his conclusions, but lots and lots of raw data there. The online text version below is a more comprehensive account (it's one hell of a read!), but slightly out of date. The book above has suitable corrections, is better sourced and referenced, and has additions to the information the online version doesn't have:

Antiqillum.org - Qadosh: The Johannite Tradition


The Rosicrucian Enlightenment - Frances Yates

The inestimable historian Dame Frances Yates on the phenomenon that became known as the Rosicrucians, who came into a somewhat mythical existence after those mysterious documents known as the "Rosicrucian manifestos" apeared on the scene. Look into every other book she published as well is the advice I've been given.


The Mythology of the Secret Societies by J.M. Roberts

A serious treatment of the way secret societies have been viewed through history, especially the way they have been seen as revolutionary, conspiratorial entities.


Stellar Theology and Masonic Astronomy by Robert Hewitt Brown, 32° mason

Deals with the symbolism of freemasonry.

Also, a truly superb book, maybe my favourite of all of the above is:

The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages - Norman Cohn

The above book counts as it deals with clandestine, revolutionary esoteric movements that may well have been started and/or helped along by the more well known esoteric orders. Brilliant work of historical, sociological, and pyschological analysis.


Plus there are the other usual suspect texts to read on the subject. Morals and Dogma, Anacalypsis (so I'm told), the works of R. Swinburne Clymer (read one, very interesting), etc, etc. The journey is long and far, but eventful.



[edit on 13/12/09 by Extant Taxon]

reply to post by Extant Taxon


What an excellent post! This is exactly what I was looking for.

Tell me mate, is there one you would recommend as the best or at least the best place to start?

Again thanks for such an excellent annotated list of books.

Cheers mate!

reply to post by Animal


The first book by David Stevenson listed I guess, as it is solid, meticulously researched and referenced. Then just dive into the rest. Watch out for the book by Jonathan Sellers though (Qadosh: The Johannite Tradtion), as he references some truly abysmal sources and authors sometimes, but the quality of the rest of the work is high enough to compensate for that.



[edit on 13/12/09 by Extant Taxon]

I was thinking that based on the extremely high quality of AugustusMasonicus, Choronzon, and Extant Taxon's posts, this thread or another made specifically to serve as a sticky "Reference" thread for the SS forum. A thread that could be added to to make a really robust reference that is sorted by topic. I suppose it could also include online information as long as it was not questionable. . .

There is after all a lot of highly questionable material brought to the SS forum and it is a 'highly supervised forum' do to both aggressive debates and questionable material / arguments. So it could really benefit those interested in this topic.

Just a thought.

[edit on 13-12-2009 by Animal]

reply to post by Animal


Here's another book to look at, though I haven't read it as yet. It is one of the most respected historical treatments on (like the title says) the genesis of freemasonry:

THE GENESIS OF FREEMASONRY: AN ACCOUNT OF THE RISE AND DEVELOPMENT OF FREEMASONRY IN ITS OPERATIVE, ACCEPTED, AND EARLY SPECULATIVE PHASES BY DOUGLAS KNOOP, M.A., HON.A.R.I.B.A Professor of Economics in the University of Sheffield P.M. Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, London AND G. P. JONES, M.A., LITT.D. Reader in Economic History in the University of Sheffield

You can also get it in hardcopy form if you search the online bookshops.

I would like to add one too:

The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P Hall

This is really a great read. It covers topics that range from the basics of esoteric and occult thought and teachings to background information on various esoteric orders.